All-Powerful Bystander: While each Grey Warden is a One-Man Army, their political neutrality means that they cannot get directly involved in political matters. Unless it's darkspawn-related, they either feel obligated not to entangle themselves in politics and risk blunting their effectiveness, or really don't see it as their problem.

The one time in recent memory that the Grey Wardens stepped in to fight when they wasn't an active Blight was against an extremely corrupt king. It didn't end well for them, or the people they were fighting since no one comes off well fighting Grey Wardens, but they got kicked out of Ferelden and it was only recently that King Maric allowed them to build up their numbers again.

Animal Motifs: The griffon. It's their heraldry, and is depicted everywhere in their architecture. In past Ages the Wardens used them as their signature mounts, allowing them to rain down on the darkspawn horde. Sadly, they've since gone extinct.

Badass Army: These guys have saved Thedas on multiple occasions, and recruit only the toughest and brightest to serve. Though they don't fare so well against the Inquisition during the Siege of Adamant. Justified, since Adamant wasn't built to stand against modern siege equipment, and the Wardens are desperate and scared and unsure that they are actually doing the right thing.

Badass Creed: The above quote, which sums up all the things that are wanted from a Warden.

Bad Dreams: Due to their connection to the Darkspawn, all Wardens experience these to varying degrees. The lucky ones only get them rarely, while the unlucky have trouble sleeping their entire lives. Alistair mentions that it's supposedly worse for those who join during a Blight, due to the Archdemon being active, although he's unsure if it's true or not. This affects even dwarven Wardens, who are otherwise incapable of dreaming.

Bearer of Bad News: The Wardens are usually the first to know if a Blight is happening. Nobody likes hearing that. Even if it's in peacetime, Wardens usually mean darkspawn are nearby.

Sera: Usually bad stuff happens first, so you're glad when the hero shows up. But Wardens are the wrong way 'round. They're the good thing that means a bad thing is about to happen.

Big Eater: According to Alistair, Grey Wardens require more food than normal people, possibly to slow the progress of the taint within them.

Blood Magic: The Joining Ritual that new recruits must undertake is technically Blood Magic. Unlike the rest of Thedas, the Wardens don't really have a problem with Blood Magic, considering it just yet another weapon in their arsenal.

The Gloves Come Off: For Mage Wardens who don't resort to Blood Magic, they are still actively encouraged to go full pelt against the darkspawn.

Boxed Crook: Many of the Wardens featured in the franchise, including Duncan and Daveth (as well as the City Elf, Dwarf Commoner, and Dwarf Noble Wardens from Origins) were criminals brought into the Order by the Right of Conscription. Dorian in Inquisition has little patience for Blackwall because he suspects that Blackwall was one such criminal, making his self-righteousness a tad hypocritical. Oddly enough Dorian becomes more tolerant after finding out how right he actually was.

Army of Thieves and Whores: As noted above, some of the Grey Wardens had less than humble origins before either joining or being conscripted. As long as someone is prepared to spend the rest of their life hunting down and killing darkspawn, the Wardens don't discriminate.

Broken Base: An in-universe example occurs in Awakening, when the Warden-Commander's decision to possibly ally with the Architect is considered very controversial amongst their companions, as well as with Wardens in other countries.

Broken Pedestal: Their reputation since the Fourth Blight has sharply declined. While there are still lingering stories of heroic Grey Wardens rising up to save the day against the Darkspawn, they are considered a nuisance and relic of past glory at best and potential usurpers at worst. The Warden uprising decades ago in Ferelden certainly didn't help. This is especially the case in Inquisition where Corypheus has either brainwashed or convinced the Wardens in Orlais to be his pawns.

Commanding Coolness: The Warden-Commander is the highest ranking Warden in each country. They are also sometimes known as "the Commander of the Grey."

Creature-Hunter Organization: The Grey Wardens' mission is to fight the darkspawn. In particular, Wardens are key to ending Blights (when the darkspawn corrupt an Old God into an Archdemon and attack the surface of Thedas); they are the only ones capable of killing Archdemons.

Creepy Good: Their willingness to do anything to fight darkspawn and the Blight makes other people not exactly fond of Wardens. Further, they're the Bearer of Bad News. When they show up, darkspawn are involved, and no one wants to deal with that.

Godzilla Threshold: When the Grey Wardens were formed, the First Blight had already ravaged Thedas for over 90 years. A group of seasoned veterans from darkspawn campaigns decided to gather in Weisshaupt, intending to pool their knowledge and research other ways to combat their enemy, with nothing being left off the table, even Blood Magic. As such, when Nakiri of the Donark Forest suggested consuming darkspawn blood to make them immune to the Taint, no one objected. This would eventually lead to the Joining Ritual and the creation of the first Wardens.

Got Volunteered: If need be, the Wardens can use the Right of Conscription to bolster their numbers.

I Did What I Had to Do: When the Wardens swore to defend humanity from the darkspawn by any means necessary, they meant it. A major thematic element in The Calling novel is the question of what takes priority: stopping the darkspawn or protecting people from them? Ser Ruth in Inquisitionafter the Siege of Adamant defies this and submits herself to the Inquisition's judgement, believing that the Wardens' duty should not allow them to escape justice anymore.

Impartial Purpose-Driven Faction: The Grey Wardens kill the darkspawn, first and foremost. While they strive to maintain good relations with governments and other factions, they mostly rely in this on everyone's understanding that it's either them or the darkspawn. Sophia Dryden's failed coup is the perfect example of why Grey Wardens getting too involved in politics is a bad idea.

The Immune: Played with. Those who survive the Joining Ritual are rendered immune to the Taint, since they are now partially tainted themselves. However, as the effects of ghoulification are merely delayed by about thirty years, this could count as a subversion.

Intelligible Unintelligible: Due to the advanced progression of the Taint within them, some of the Senior Grey Wardens are capable of understanding the Black Speech of the Archdemon. This is one of the first signs that their Calling is soon to be upon them.

Irony: The Grey Wardens were created for the sole purpose of destroying Darkspawn and ending a Blight. However, in Inquisition, the fact that they have the taint in them makes them open to Corypheus's suggestion and can be used to help him Body Surf. As Blackwall puts it, "We're up against a darkspawn, and the last thing you need is a Grey Warden."

Jurisdiction Friction: Historically, the Templars have often clashed with the Wardens over the Right of Conscription, which allows Apostates and Maleficarum to find safety within their ranks, with no Chantry oversight.

Mass "Oh, Crap!": In Inquisition, when every Grey Warden suddenly starts hearing The Calling, they become terribly desperate.

Membership Token: All newly-Joined Wardens are presented with the Warden's Oath, a small medallion worn around the neck, as a symbol of their membership in the order and also as a memorial to those who didn't survive the initiation ritual. It contains a drop of the mixture which candidates drink in order to become Wardens.

Multinational Team: Besides having chapters in every surface nation on Thedas (with the exception of Qunari), membership in the Wardens is also open to all peoples and faiths.

While no Qunari have joined the Warden ranks, it's rumoured that some Tal-Vashoth and other members of their species outside of the Qun may have undergone the Joining in recent decades. Whether this is true, any survived and if they still might live, remains currently unknown.

N.G.O. Superpower: The Wardens wield a lot of diplomatic power, though they attempt to remain apolitical for the most part.

However, due to the Anderfels being a hotbed of darkspawn activity even between Blights, the Wardens tend to wield more power there than the actualKing, who is fully aware that it's better to just sit back and let the Wardens do what they need to do.

In Awakening, the First Warden takes special interest in the appointment of the Warden-Commander as the new Arl of Amaranthine, believing this could set a precedent of Grey Wardens wielding political power and demonstrating that despite belief to the contrary, they can have a vital function even between Blights.

Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: It's suggested by Morrigan, and later Solas, that the method the Wardens use to end Blights (destroying the soul of the Old God leading them) will eventually lead to something far worse. There were once seven Old Gods, and only two remain.

Omniscient Morality License: At their worst, the Wardens act not only as if they hold this, but that they hold the only one in Thedas. Their attitude of fighting the Blight at all costs sometimes drives them to take actions that are manifestly a Bad Idea, but will still go through with it because any cost is worth victory, and that the concerns of others are worthless because they do not understand 'what it takes.' That they don't let most outsiders know why Wardens are the only ones who can end Blights doesn't help matters either.

One-Man Army: Each Warden is this, and when fighting alongside each other, are just about unstoppable.

Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: The Wardens don't care about race, social class, religion or even if you're a condemned criminal, so expect to see a wide variety of people serving in their ranks.

Recruiters Always Lie: Lies of omission, mostly. New recruits are never told about the worst problems that come with being a Warden or why Wardens are needed to end Blights until after they've gone through the Joining. Riordan in Origins flat out admits that nobody would willingly become a Warden if they knew ahead of time.

Resignations Not Accepted: Very few Wardens manage to leave, and the side-effects stay with them anyway. Fiona is an exception because the act of curing her of the Taint made it impossible to Join her again. Even if she wanted to be a Grey Warden again, it's not going to happen.

The Last Dance: Faced with the choice of either death via Taint or becoming a ghoul, Senior Wardens nearing the end of their thirty years choose to head to Orzammar for their Calling; there, they enjoy a final night of feasting with the dwarves and other compatriots before venturing into the Deep Roads to launch a suicide attack against the darkspawn, in the hopes of killing as many as possible before they die.

During the course of Origins, the Wardens (thanks to the Player Character) learned exactly how darkspawn are created. Because of this, Word of God has stated that since then, female Wardens - of which there are very few in the first instance - are given the choice between going on this Calling or performing ritual suicide, as the latter option prevents them from running the risk of being turned into broodmothers.

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Unfortunately, due to the long stretches between Blights and the common (mistaken) belief that the darkspawn were wiped out after the Fourth Blight, the Grey Wardens were largely considered an antiquated relic by the time the Fifth Blight began in Ferelden.

According to the Codex, despite the First Warden being the Supreme-Commander of all Grey Wardens, he's mostly just a figurehead and more interested in the muddy politics of the Anderfels than actually running the organisation. He delegates most of the major decisions and work to each country's respective Warden-Commander.

Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right: Every Warden is, more or less, completely autonomous until the Order as a whole is assembled. Due to the Treaties, as well as the Right of Conscription, Wardens can pretty much do anything they want because they're considered the first authority on all matters Darkspawn-related. However, this is only as binding at the discretion of a particular nation. Wardens can and will be put in line if they piss off the wrong people.

Secret Keeper: The senior Wardens are the keepers of the Order's darkest secrets. Namely, the locations of the Old Gods and the original Darkspawn magisters.

Taking You with Me: The real purpose behind the Wardens' use of the Taint is to grant them the power to kill an Archdemon at the cost of their own lives.

Token Heroic Orc: The Wardens could be considered this compared to the darkspawn, due to their use of the Taint to turn them into essentially high-functioning ghouls, allowing them to better fight the horde and become the only ones capable of permanently slaying an Archdemon.

The Unfettered: When it comes to the darkspawn, the Grey Wardens are actively encouraged to be this, giving themselves carte blanche to do whatever it takes to take them down, regardless of the civilian death toll it might amass in the process. This has come back to bite the order more than once, but most severely in Inquisition.

Well-Intentioned Extremist: The Wardens are prepared to do many morally questionable things in their eternal fight against the Darkspawn. A good example of this is the belief that it's more merciful to burn down an entire village about to be attacked by darkspawn, rather than let the inhabitants suffer the depravities and Fate Worse Than Death that the darkspawn would unleash on them.

This mindset is also deconstructed in that their unfettered approach to fighting the darkspawn means they take the path of least resistance in every situation, even when it's not always intelligent in the long run. A lot of better solutions are closed off in Origins when the Warden chooses to indulge in extremism, and the best endings are often found when the Warden rises above this trope.

Shown explicitly in Inquisition. Warden Commander Clarel, under the suggestion of a Venatori magister, orders her troops to begin sacrificing each other to fuel a blood magic ritual to summon a demon army to hunt down and exterminate the remaining Old Gods. While she and her group were fooled by a shared false Calling, they were quick to assume the worst and indulge in atrocities offered by a transparently evil manipulator rather than question the situation. This foolishness can end with the entire order exiled from southern Thedas and denounced continent-wide.

Addiction Powered / Functional Addict: The Templars use lyrium to augment their Anti-Magic abilities, and withdrawal turns them into strung-out wrecks. Subverted, in that multiple characters have stated that lyrium only serves to make their abilities easier to use, and that its primary purpose is to keep them in check. Certainly, multiple characters have made use of templar abilities without it.

Defector from Decadence: Both sides of the split from the Chantry feel this way. The rogue Templars see their rebellion as an escape from the manipulations of a Chantry that has become soft on mage extremism while disregarding the sacrifices of the order. The loyalists that abandoned the main faction treat the bulk of the order as self-indulgent extremists more concerned with fighting mages than their oath to protect everyone from the dangers of magic.

Church Militant: More than a few Templars demonstrate this tendency, justifying their harsh treatment with dogmatism. Though as of Inquisition, all of them have abandoned the Chantry.

Dirty Cop: Like most institutions in the game, they show up. The chapter in Kirkwall is notorious for having many of them.

Foil: To the Grey Wardens. While the Grey Wardens are a morally ambiguous, apolitical Army of Thieves and Whores with little or no regulation or oversight, they are still commonly regarded as heroes across the face of Thedas. The Templars, meanwhile, are a religious order of knights who uphold and enforce Chantry Law that often suffer criticisms for the harsh treatment of Magi.

Good Counterpart: While hard to believe given their more militant members, the Qunari's treatment of Saarebas by their Arvaraad makes the Templars' treatment of their Mage charges appear positively benign in comparison.

He Who Fights Monsters: There are quite a few good Templars. Unfortunately, many of them seem to believe that since mages can be dangerous (with reason), and are willing to err on the side of caution.

I Did What I Had to Do: The Templars are willing to go to great extremes in their mission to protect the public from magic. The Rite of Annulment is the most obvious example. If a Circle appears to be lost to demons or blood magic, the Templars are authorized to indiscriminately kill every mage within, including women and children. Though this is meant to be an absolute last resort to prevent the possible escape of even one abomination.

Just Following Orders: Many of the lower ranking Templars justify some of their more questionable actions with this, including withdrawing from the Chantry completely. They also begin taking Red Lyrium under the orders of an impostor that replaced their leader. Relatively few objected until after the Red Lyrium had deeply infected their fellows, resulting in the bulk of them becoming Red Templars.

Lawful Stupid: Templars have been accused by people in-universe, even non-mages, of going by this trope. This commonly manifests in overzealous Templars assuming that any Apostate outside the Circle is guilty of being Maleficar by default, leading to many cornered and desperate Mages resorting to Blood Magic to try and escape.

Though it has been shown since they are the Militant Arm of the Chantry, they will often protect the just, as an example, the Templars guarding Lothering.

Magic Knight: They can use a variety of Anti-Magic abilities to protect them from mages and disrupt their spellcasting. That being said, against regular opponents, they are forced to rely on their martial training due to being, as Alastair put it, "just a guy in a metal suit". Cullen himself explained that they have some of the best warriors in Thedas. Cullen also insists that Templar abilities are not magic.

Muggle Power: As noted above, they have no magical abilities (aside from Anti-Magic) and are simply regular people in armour. They are still considered some of the best warriors in Thedas.

Reasonable Authority Figure: There are Templars who are reasonable and even willing to look the other way for apostates that are no danger to anyone. The number vary from Circle to Circle, the Kinloch Hold were made of quite reasonable people, such as Gregoir (specially considering how the entire tower was infested by demons during the Fifth Blight); while Kirkwall had some like Thrask, Cullen (especially later on), Emeric, and arguably Samson, though they also had a fair share of corrupt ones.

Renegade Splinter Faction: Inquisition shows that a non-insignificant number of Templars abandoned all order to terrorize the Fereldan Hinterlands, killing indiscriminately under the pretense of hunting apostates. Both major factions denounced them as madmen, but only those who joined the Inquisition did anything to stop them.

Smells Sexy: If the Inquisitor is a Templar, Dorian in Inquisition will remark that consuming lyrium gives Templars a scent that is pleasing to mages.

Well-Intentioned Extremist: It depends on the Templar. Some of the more hardlined Templars, such as Cullen before he left the order, are perfect examples of this. Others however, are in it for less noble and more sadistic reasons.

When All You Have Is a Hammer: A common complaint levied at the Templars by both mages and commoners. Since they are the Chantry's Armed Forces, they are less trained to be diplomats and politicians, and act as enforcers.

Shown plainly in their response to the growing mage unrest following the Kirkwall incident. They continually added blanket restrictions to the Circle at any sign of mage extremism. Because the mages were already on edge over the Kirkwall Circle being annulled for a crime they did not commit (without waiting for confirmation from the Chantry, no less), this was the exact wrong thing to do. It lead to a feedback loop of ever increasing mage resentment and Templar crackdowns until it finally climaxed with the Mage/Templar War.

The Circle of Magi

It is no simple matter, safeguarding ordinary men from mages, and mages from themselves.

The primary Magical Society in the setting and overseen by the Chantry, the Circle is responsible for training and securing the world's mages, both so they can use their talents to benefit others (or at least the Chantry) and ensuring that cannot harm "ordinary" society.

All of the Other Reindeer: Despite all of the good that Circle does for Thedas as a whole: fighting the Blights, joining Exalted Marches, healing the sick and wounded, enchanting and creating magical objects, or just plain giving royals and other nobles some good old fashioned advice, mages are pretty much treated with fear and disregard.

However it does vary from place to place. A mage in Tervinter can be part of a noble caste, while in Kirkwall you would most likely be a prisoner.

If the Inquisitor is a committed mage advocate, this finally starts to change. If Leliana becomes Divine, and the mage rebellion is saved, the reformed College of Magi becomes accepted to an unprecedented extent, reversing centuries of prejudice.

The Archmage: First Enchanters in every Circle fill this role, with the Grand Enchanter being the leader of them all. However, not all First Enchanters are chosen on the basis of power or experience, but on other factors such as Templar approval or support from a majority of the Fraternities. Senior Enchanters could also qualify as this, as in the case of Wynne, who is actually referred to as "Archmage" by other people, for her role in ending the Fifth Blight.

Badass Bookworm: Usually, the only times the Chantry lets the mages out en-masse are in the event of Blights or Exalted Marches, and they more than prove how powerful they can be.

Court Mage: It is stated in The Stolen Throne that kings have the right to an Arcane Adviser if they wish. Several examples include: Severan, from the aforementioned book, to King Meghren, potentially a Mage Warden to the ruler of Ferelden, and Vivienne to Empress Celene. The Grand Enchanter fills this role for the Divine.

Demonic Possession: Since it's an organization made up entirely of mages, this is one of the greater concerns. Of course, since there are huge concentrations of mages in closed locations, this can lead to some unusual circumstances, such as at least one situation where a cat was possessed by a Rage demon.

Fate Worse Than Death: How some mages view being made Tranquil, since they see it as being turned into an Empty Shell. Tranquil mages that have had the rite reversed agree with that assesment.

Fictional Political Party: Numerous "Fraternities" exist within the Circle, each advocating a different position on the role of mages and how they should be treated. Whenever a First Enchanter is replaced, expect to see power struggles as they try to place one of their own candidates in the position. That said, Loyalists and Aequitarians are the biggest fraternities and generally have a lock on Circle politics.

This starts to change by the time of Origins, as several codex entries make mention of the growing influence of the Libertarians, and the fears of a potential civil war within the Circles. By Awakening, the Libertarians have gotten enough influence to try and propose a motion of secession from the Chantry, though this is defeated by Wynne.

God Is Evil: The Libertarians are split between this and those who just don't think the Circles are the Maker's will.

God Is Good: The Loyalists, who are often referred to merely as Chantry apologists. Many Aequitarians share this belief.

Some of the Loyalists do present very valid arguments as to why blind rebellion, especially in a time of greater than normal anti-mage sentiment is a bad idea. They even note that as bad as living under Templar scrutiny may be, they are necessary to protect the mages from others and even themselves. It's just too bad that these opinions come from mages with far more rights than others and disregarding very real abuses of the Circle system.

Mage Tower: Due to many Circles being located in former Dwarven and Tevinter fortresses.

Mutant Draft Board: In most countries, mages have no choice about joining the Circle. Some allow you to live elsewhere provided you have permission from the First Enchanter and / or come from a noble household. The Circle of Dairsmuid in Rivain was the most easygoing.

Order Versus Chaos: The general source of conflict within the Fraternities. Also, the main act of the conflict between the mages and Templars fits this mould (with the Templars representing Order).

Parental Abandonment: Enforced. Chantry law forces parents to surrender their children to the Circles or else face some pretty steep consequences. Some families willingly hand over, and in some case disown, their children, while in others, parents try to hide theirs. Unless they receive some form of training, it usually doesn't endwell.

Prison Rape: The Kirkwall Circle had it's cases, with Ser Alrik using the Rite of Tranquility to turn Mages into compliant sex slaves being the most blatant. Cases have also been known to happen in other circles, though they are not as entrenched.

The Quisling: A negative view of the Loyalist fraternity paints them as this.

Rousseau Was Right: The more sympathetic Libertarians and the Aequitarians are all about this, believing that mages are fundamentally good at heart and deserve a chance to be integrated into society. They also believe that the prejudice against magic is not immutable and can be changed in time.

Mages who earn the favor of particularly powerful and influential people generally seem to have a "Get out of Jail Free" Card, avoiding Templar scrutiny and breaking the rules of the Circle. One prime example being Mage!Hawke and their mage companions after becoming Champion of Kirkwall. Another one is the mage Wilhelm, Shale's original owner, who was allowed to live outside the tower and even raised a family after helping King Maric during the Ferelden Rebellion.

There are Circles that allow freedoms for their members - but this is entirely under the hand of their First Enchanters, so having connections is still important.

Screw This, I'm Outta Here!: The general attitude of the Isolationist Fraternity. Mundane society is never going to accept them, so why bother trying to fit in, when they could just live out their lives on an island somewhere?

Super Registration Act: The end result of one. While the Circle began as a self-imposed exile by Mages who wanted to learn how to safely control their powers under Templar supervision, over the years the Templars' role shifted from guardianship to containment, how it's executed varies from Circle to Circle, Kirkwall literally being in a prison, while Kinloch Hold was mostly a gilded cage. The Tervinter Circles though are outright cases of magical universities.

Aside from the above-mentioned imprisonment, any children conceived by mages within the Circle are given over to the Chantry. If the child is mage, they are sent to another Circle, such as the case of Wynne and her estranged son Rhys. However Tervinter does not work in such way, since family ties and magic are intertwined.

Then Let Me Be Evil: There are mages who will use Blood Magic after harsh treatments from the Circle, the most blatant example being the Kirkwall.

Many Apostates who either live outside or escaped from the Circle are immediately branded as Maleficarum by default. When backed into a corner by Templars who are more likely to run them through than take them (back) to the Circle, many figure they might as well go down swinging.

Of course, on the other hand, this only incite the Templars to be even more harsh with their actions. Kirkwall is THE example of what happens when both sides are willing to go to extremes.

Training the Gift of Magic: The stated main purpose of the Circle is to nurture the inborn potential of those born with magic. How well they actually accomplish this is a matter of much in-universe debate.

The Usual Adversaries: The Libertarians for the Templars. When an incident happens in a Circle, it is the faction that is most closely scrutinized, as their ideology is directly opposed to Chantry doctrine.

Whenever an incident does happen in a Circle, it always is the the faction that is to blame. Seriously, every major Libertarian in the DA-verse is usually a maleficar, a terrorist, or a complete dick. More-often-than-not, all three at the same time.

Un Equal Rites: Circle mages tend to look down so called "hedge mages" and apostates who have never been part of the Circles and received "proper" training. It goes both ways; hedge mages and general apostates disapprove of Circle mages who have accepted Chantry law. Some of the mages actually possess training formed from generations of magical tradition, like Dalish Keepers, Chasind Witches, and Rivaini Seers. Even then, both sides have very little tolerance for Maleficars.

We ARE Struggling Together: Their many factions means that even if they ever rebelled, they would be too fractious to ever mount a united front against the extremely hierarchical Templars. In Asunder, the actions of the Templars force the Circle, and every faction within, to rebel.

Unfortunately, their fractured state comes back to haunt them in Inquisition where a significant number break off from the main group to terrorize the countryside, convinced of their own superiority. The remaining faction is so weakened after years of war that Tevinter saboteurs, with some help from a form of magic that is not supposed to exist, easily infiltrate their ranks under the guise of apostate refugees to undermine their already weak position with the public and trick them into signing themselves into near-slavery out of fear of public reprisal for the Breach event. Only the intervention of the Inquisition can pull them out of that mess.

Weird Trade Union: The Formari fill this role in the Circle, disdaining the politics in favour of mercantile efforts, enchanting, potion-making, staff creation and generally using their magic in a craftsmanship role.

Wizarding School: A subversion. The Circle is as much about imprisoning mages and segregating them from mundane society (for the protection of both, since pitchforks and torches are quite common amongst the populace of Thedas) as it is about teaching how to use their powers effectively.

Played straight in Tevinter, where admittance is not mandatory and gaining a place is considered a great privilege.

Possibly played straighter in the epilogue of Inquisition. If allied with the Inquisition, the remaining Enchanters form a formal College dedicated to peacefully educating and protecting free mages.

The Seekers of Truth

When a Seeker steps from the shadows, templars run for cover.

An organization that answers directly to the Divine in Val Royeaux. They act as a check and balance to the power of the Templar Order, acting in a secretive, investigative, and interrogative capacity to root out corruption and defend the Chantry from internal and external threats.

Dark Secret: Seekers are made Tranquil, then commune with Spirits of Faith to restore their emotions and grant them their powers. Although the real dark secret is even worse: Abuse of the Rite of Tranquility was one of the major catalysts for the Mage-Templar war. By sharing the Rite of Tranquility with the Chantry (sans the cure), the Seekers laid the foundations for the very conflict they were meant to prevent.

The Immune: According to Cassandra, Seekers, unlike their Templar counterparts, are completely immune to possession.

Internal Affairs: A less effective version thanks to the Chantry's reluctance to investigate abuses of templar power unless unavoidable. Cassandra freely admits that their confidence in their own righteousness can blind them at times, such as with Kirkwall.

Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Too often, the Seekers only get involved when problems with the Templars spiral out of control, like in Kirkwall. Lord Seeker Lucius also claims that the Seekers created a war without end when they helped devise the whole Circle and Templar system.

The Men in Black: The existence of the agency and identities of their agents are well guarded secrets to most of Thedas.

Cassandra: "We were meant to be incorruptible, above reproach. How seldom does reality match the ideal."

Seeker Archetype: To the extent that it serves as both the name of their organisation and chief function.

Super Prototype: To the Templars. Thanks to their unique training methods, Seekers have all the abilities of a Templar alongside complete immunity to possession without the need of any external power source. Since making a Seeker is an involved process that takes over a year per member, the Templar order was created to mass produce anti-magical warriors using lyrium as an addictive and dangerous, but effective shortcut.

Tautological Templar: The Seekers were created from the original Inquisition and were supposed to preserve order and justice. But, as Cassandra notes, eventually power became its own master. Thus, preserving the order, even if it meant defying the principles on which it was founded, became seen as just in its own right. She wonders if it's only a matter of time before the new Inquisition follows suit.

Training from Hell: They get their powers through meditation and training, giving up all emotion and worldly life for a full year before gaining an Enlightenment Superpower. Except that isn't true. They're made Tranquil and then commune with a Spirit of Faith, who gives them their emotions back, along with their powers.

Warrior Monk: Their powers are given to them by their faith. Or, more accurately, a Spirit of Faith.

Who Watches the Watchmen?: The Seekers were meant to keep watch on the Templars. The Inquisitor can inquire to Cassandra about who kept watch on the Seekers. Cassandra admits that the Divine was supposed to, but the Seekers kept so many secrets that in reality, nobody really was.

The Chantry

Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter.

The primary religious institution on Thedas, the Chantry was created following the death of Andraste at the hands of the Tevinter Imperium. Andraste was an Alamarri barbarian queen whose singing so moved the Maker that He returned to the world after abandoning it centuries ago. Andraste's death caused Him to turn from the mortal world again, giving the religion a deeply deist foundation. The Maker hears prayers, but he does not answer them.

Andraste's teachings on the world, morality, magic, and the Maker were compiled into a single source called the Chant of Light, with the goal of the religion to have the Chant sung from all four corners of the world. Only then will the Maker forgive the world of its sins and return once more.

Biblical Bad Guy: Maferath, the mortal husband of Andraste who betrayed her to the Tevinter Imperium, out of jealousy of having to share his wife with the Maker himself. While he was later filled with regret by what he had done, the Canticle of Maferath that dealt with his penance and being forgiven by a vision of Andraste was later removed from the Chant of Light.

The Caligula: Some of the Divines, Ambrosia II and Amara III being examples. The first tried to declare an Exalted March on her own cathedral because mages were peacefully protesting, and the second loved to create bonfires fueled by burning maleficars. She didn't last long in the post.

Females Are More Innocent: This trope is part of why women are administrators in the Chantry, as men are judged by Maferath's betrayal as unworthy. However, Mother Giselle points out that this, just like the ban on elves and dwarves serving as priests, is political propaganda. The priestesses in Val Royeaux are just as backstabbing as their Great Game playing noble counterparts, as shown during Inquisition, where several sisters use the Breach and the death of Divine Justinia simply to gain favor and become the New Divine.

Holier Than Thou: The Orlesian Chantry towards the Imperial Chantry and vice-versa. The Schism of the Chantry began with both sides accusing the other of corruption and questioning each other's legitimacy. Both sideskind of have a point. While the Tevinters did do away with any rules that could limit them in any way (mages and men in power), the Orlesians are just as guilty of editing the Chant of Light for their own benefit (see Orwellian Editor below). Despite claiming themselves as morally superior, both Chantries are deeply intertwined with the politics of their respective countries (see Theocracy for the Andrastian Chantry). Finally, both Chantries do have severe levels of corruption within certain organizations within their control. In Tevinter, just about every Mage in the Circle is expected to be power-hungry Blood Mage while the Templars are just powerless, glorified guards; while quite a few Andrastian Templars have devolved into Blood Knights who prey on weaker Mages in their custody.

How the Mighty Have Fallen: Oh, boy. The overbearing church that controls the hearts and minds of millions through religious dogma and military might? It's rendered completely toothless by the rebellion of the Circles, the rebellion of the Templars, the Orlesian Civil War, and the Breach killing most of their leadership — to such a degree that an unprecedented situation emerges where the highest ranking member of the Chantry's bureaucracy is a man. Throughout Inquisition, they are unable to oppose the Inquisitor because there is literally no one left to enforce their will. That said, individual communities are still held together through the efforts of local Mothers and Grand Clerics, but there is nothing approaching a unified Chantry power in Thedas for most of the game.

Hypocrite: Despite their heavy demonizing of blood magic, they have no problem using phylacteries, which are created using a form of blood magic. It also heavily relies on mages during war efforts, such as Exalted Marches.

Also, despite the constant preaching against using magic to rule over others, the Chantry used the Circle of Magi for the express purpose of conquest against other nations for its own benefit. It is implied that the Circle played a part in the Exalted March against the Dales. It also lent aid to Calenhad, a fervent believer of the Maker, in his bid for kingship of Ferelden. Both of these acts show that the Chantry willingly allows magic to rule over others, so long as it does so for the benefit of Andrastianism.

Muggle Power: One of the primary commandments of Andrastianism is "Magic is meant to serve man, and never to rule over him."

The creation of the Circles of Magi, while originally meant to be places to protect and teach Mages, have devolved into draconian prisons over the course of nine centuries. The granting of the Right of Annulment and the abuse of Rite of Tranquility has made the relationship between Mages and the Chantry more volatile.

The method of controlling Templars through the use of Lyrium, despite knowing that it can cause severe mental problems down the line. Overlooking abuses of power on their end and refusing to take a stand on the matter has led to a steady escalation in Mage extremism/Templar abuse, culminating in a full-blown World War.

The Exalted March on the Dales led to the destitution of the Elves and the creation of the Alienages. Rather than having their own homeland, maintaining their heritage and worshiping their own Creators, Elves are forced to live in horrible conditions and frequently become victims of human violence. Just like the Mages, they too have had enough and are now waging their own rebellion.

No Such Thing as Wizard Jesus: One of the gifts for Wynne in Origins is a book speculating whether Andraste was merely a particularly powerful Mage, which is mentioned to have been rescued from several book burnings. Assuming there's perhaps a grain of truth in its claims, it would certainly put a new spin on both her rebellion against the Tevinter Imperium and the precise meaning of the first verse of the Chant of Light.

While such a claim is blasphemous in Orlesian Chantry lands, the idea that Andraste was a powerful mage is damn near canon in Tevinter lands.

Orwellian Editor: The Chantry has a habit of editing its own history and removing verses from the Chant of Light to suit its political ends. The most notable example of this is the Cantacle of Shartan, the verses relating to the Elven general who led Andraste's army and founded the Dales, which ended up being completely exercised when the Chantry declared an Exalted March against the Dalish.

The sections are collectively referred to as the Dissonant Verses, which includes Shartan as noted above, as well as the redemption of Maferath, the husband and betrayer of Andraste.

Patriarchy Flip: The Chantry is governed exclusively by women, while men are judged by the example of Maferath and can only accept lesser, non-administrative positions. This is inverted in Tevinter.

In the village of Haven in Ferelden, the Priesthood was also dominated by men, due to being an offshoot of the early Chantry before it was fully organised under the first Divine. Unfortunately, the precise belief structure and traditions of this branch is unknown, as in the many centuries since it was founded, its members had devolved into an insane dragon cult that worshiped a nearby High Dragon as "the rebornAndraste".

Reasonable Authority Figure: Not uncommon in-setting. The current Divine (as of the end of Dragon Age II), Divine Justina V, was trying to reform the Circle and Chantry from within before everything went tits-up.

The three candidates for the office of Divine in Inquisition prove to be reasonable in their own ways, bringing about overdue reforms after order is re-established. Even the extremely conservative Vivienne offers some positive change.

Spear Counterpart: The main Chantry has one in the form of the Imperial Chantry in Tevinter, which is ruled over by men (and mages).

The Theocracy: The Chantry is actually an Orlesian creation, originating from the Andrastian cult followed by the first emperor, and the goals of the Empire and the church are very tightly intertwined. For example, one interpretation of the ousting of Viscount Perrin Threnhold of Kirkwall was that the Chantry acted on behalf of Orlais when he tried to charge higher tariffs on trade through Kirkwall's harbor. It is also implied that the Exalted March on the Dales may have also had an expansionist angle, considering that Orlais was the only country to participate and gain from it.

Ungrateful Bastard: Without the mages, the Chantry would have fallen to the Qunari. The Circle's pivotal role in turning the tide did little to improve their reputation with the Chantry.

Similarly, the efforts of non-humans, especially elves, are often overlooked. After the Exalted March on the Dales, all references to Andraste's elven lieutenant Shartan were deemed heretical and scrubbed from the Chant of Light.

Written By The Victors: Because of their dominant state of power in Thedas, a lot of morality and history is ultimately defined by them.

The Inquisition

The Inquisition were an ancient group of mage-hunters that protected Thedas from demons and blood mages during the chaotic early days of the Chantry. They were eventually absorbed into the Chantry, splitting into the Seekers of Truth and the Templar Order. The Inquisiton is reformed during the Mage-Templar War in order to seal the tears in the Fade and stop the hidden mastermind responsible for them.

Anti-Magical Faction: The original Inquisition was this, though it appears they were much more lenient towards mages than the Templars. Possibly because the final reader of the first Inquisition, Ameridan, was a mage himself.

Appeal to Force: The purpose of the "Forces" branch of the Inquisition. If espionage or diplomacy fails, their soldiers do what must be done.

Appropriated Appelation: Some sources claim that the original Inquisition was simply an early form of the Seekers of Truth. 'The Inquisition' was simply a derogatory nickname that stuck.

Badass Army: The new Inquisition eventually forms one powerful enough to challenge the Grey Wardens and their demons.

Jesus Was Way Cool: The original Inquisition was a group of Andrastian hard-liners, which is why they eventually joined up with the Chantry. Though their original leader was an elf who revered The Maker and the Elven Pantheon.

Impartial Purpose-Driven Faction: Though the Divine was responsible for creating it, this is the Inquisition's nature. Their job is to stop Thedas's slide into destruction by any means, whether they support mages or templars, humans or elves, the Chantry or the Qun, try to make peace between them or crush them all. Anyone could be behind this plan, and so they can't be tied down by loyalty to any one faction.

Motif Merger: The Inquisition symbol combines the "Eye in a Sunburst" of the Seekers of Truth and the "Flaming Sword" of the Templar Order. Justified as both factions derived from the original Inquisition and apparently adopted their preferred aspect of the logo when they broke off.

Multinational Team: Just like the Grey Wardens, the modern Inquisition is made up of members from different nations, races, and creeds.

Nay-Theist: Bioware has stated that the restored Inquisition is a faction strictly separate from the Chantry and even possesses some anti-Chantry ideals in its doctrine.

N.G.O. Superpower: Following the discovery of Skyhold, the Inquisition becomes this. However, it really sticks in one of the epilogue reels, which says the Inquisition has basically become a nation.

Order Reborn: The Inquisition is restored during the Mage-Templar War, since the Templars are too busy fighting to deal with the Fade tears.

Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: While a bulk of the modern Inquisition seems to be made up of human soldiers, many of the companions and agents are people from all races and walks of life who joined to save Thedas and stop the Elder One.

Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: Literally the entire purpose of the "Connections" branch of the Inquisition. Maintaining good diplomatic relations and having friends in powerful places allows the Inquisition to amass more power and prestige.

Screw the Rules, I Have Supernatural Powers!: The only real reason that the second Inquisition even gets off the ground is because the Herald of Andraste appears with a mark that lets them seal rifts (specifically the Breach). Several times, you're even told to encourage rumors about you being The Messiah to win popular support. Nobody wants to be the guy who said "piss off" to the savior of the world.

Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right: The entire reason that the Inquisition exists: men and women who are united to fulfill a cause and can't be bound by the restrictions or protocol of one particular organization or state.

Screw the Rules, It's the Apocalypse!: The Inquisition was always going to form (as per Divine Justinia V's decree), but the appearance of the Breach made it necessary. As such, most members feel justified in whatever they need to do to stop the world from ending.

Seeker Archetype: Their purpose is to find out who is opening the Veil tears and is causing the general unrest and upheaval and find a way to stop them. Though it was founded by the Divine, the new Inquisition has no real Chantry oversight or control; the idea is to let no outside influences interfere with their mission. Yes, she's aware this could end badly. But there aren't really any better options.

The Qunari are the fanatical followers of the Qun, a spiritual and social belief system which calls for absolute adherence and a detachment from personal worth. Feared by the nations of Thedas, the Qunari can technically be any species, though the system was created and is perpetrated and run by the nameless race of horned giants from across the sea.

Genre Savvy: Master Ignatio and the Crows who recognize it's better to hire the Warden to do their work than try to kill him.

It's implied most Crows are smart enough not to take suicide missions like going after the Grey Warden.

Murder, Inc.: The biggest example in the series, with an appropriately nasty reputation to boot. Fear of being murdered by the Crows has even kept ambitious generals from invading Antiva.

N.G.O. Superpower: Counted as one of the more influential factions in Antivan politics (at least, more important than its royalty), and effectively the country's national military.

Paper Tiger: For all their dire reputation, there are signs that the Crows aren't as powerful as they like to pretend. They certainly can't stand up to the likes of the Warden and Hawke, for one thing, and should Zevran survive the events of Origins, it's discovered that he's waging a one-elf war against the Crows... and winning. Lampshaded in Mark of the Assassin:

Tallis: You'd think the Crows would be better at this, they've been doing it for ages.

In Inquisition Dorian tells an Assassin Inquisitor that the Crows are not considered all that good by Tevinter's standards.

Antiva in general is a study in this trope. According to the Codex, they have never won a war without foreign help, have been invaded and conquered multiple times, and acknowledge their military strength to be laughable at best. The Crows being as easily killed, contrary to their invincible reputation, could merely be a demonstration of a lie being told so often everyone assumes it to be true.

We Are Everywhere: Though based in Antiva, the Crows have agents spread through the continent. If someone calls on their services, they can usually dispatch assassins quickly and efficiently from local members.

The Mages' Collective

An organization of "apostates", ie renegade mages, operating in Ferelden, who work to protect other apostates and assist them where necessary.

Hunter of His Own Kind: While it is an organization of well-meaning apostates wanting to be free of the Circles, they don't tolerate maleficars and will pay people to slay them.

La Résistance: Subverted; they do operate outside of the Chantry's control and collaborate with other apostates, but they have no real interest in bringing down the Chantry. They're more of a support network than a guerrilla organization.

Undying Loyalty: Part of their activities include protecting the families of apostates from Chantry reprisals.

Friends of Red Jenny

An organization of servants, slaves, lower-class criminals, and other peasants who take "requests" from the downtrodden who want abusive nobles to get what's coming to them. And what's coming to them might be as harmless as a pie to the face or as harsh as death.

Beneath Notice: How they operate. Their ranks are made up of servants, outcasts, slaves, hired help and other lower classes. Basically people whom the nobles ignore. If you piss off a gardener, word might spread to the maid and she might slip some poison into your favorite wine.

Collective Identity: The closest thing the group has to a leader is unsure if there ever was a single Red Jenny, but the name is ominous enough to provide a useful boogeyman for nobles so they don't think too hard about the loose assortment of servants and beggars that really comprise the network.

The Fagin: Some of them are people who employ the poor and impoverished to help them scam or con the rich.

Mysterious Employer: In the first two games; they hire the Warden to pinch something from Irving's office, and pay Hawke to wipe out nine of Kirkwall's street gangs.

Just Like Robin Hood: Their main goal is to stop nobles and other powerful people from preying on the weak. That said, they're not above petty crime or the occasional assassination.

Rule of Cool: The name Red Jenny is theorized to have been decided by this.

Tall Poppy Syndrome: Most of the time, Red Jenny only goes after genuine bastards. Sometimes, Red Jenny goes after honest people who just happened to attract the wrong kind of resentment. There's no way to tell: the Friends of Red Jenny basically operate on the honors system, and the hatred of the small for the great isn't always based in genuine abuse.

Terrorists Without a Cause: They have no organization outside of individual cells, no real vision of the future or plans for social change, and no real broader goal beyond the day-to-day spleen-venting that forms their M.O. Sera balks at the idea of organizing for a higher purpose than random requests from peasants, considering the idea to be "thinking like a noble".

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